Furnace-flue cleaner



Oct. 2, 1928,- I 1,686,249

T. OLINGER FURNACE FLUE CLEANER Filed Sept. 8, 1925 Inventor Thomas Olmgei Patented Oct. 2, 1928.

- om-TED. S AT S THOMAS OLINGEB, or HOLLAND, ivrrcnrennfnssrenonfro gremmi kug eifi y; me COMPANY, onno LANn, ivrrcnreen, n coRroRATIoN; OFMMIGI-IIGANV-J;

NACE-FINE, CLEANER.

Application filed September s, 1925;: Serial ndl 'sgsnif Thisinvention relates to a flue cleaner for furnaces. In furnaces of many makes,'a ra diator is located at the upper. end of the fire pot and combustion chamber, through which the hot products ofcombustion pass on their way to'the chimney. This radiator is annuhr in form and substantiallycircular in cross section. The products of combustion in their passagethroughthe radiator deposit soot,

" ashes and the like, andit is desirable at times to removesuch deposits in order that the radiator may be heated more fully and cleliver heat to the air which passes to the rooms which the furnace is to heat. The radiator, at one side at least, is provided. with a cleanout opening through which the deposits therein may be removed.

It is aprimary object and purpose of the present invention to provide an exceptionally simple, yet effective, cleaner for the radiator flue of a furnace, and one which will automaticallyturn to an ineffective position as it is moved into the flue away from the clean-out opening through which it is inserted, thereby passing over the deposits in the flue, but which, when the cleaner is moved in the opposite direction, will immediately and automatically assume its effective operatingposition, engaging with and scraping the deposits from the flue and carry the same ahead of it to the said clean-out opening. The flue cleaner is made of two parts only, and can be manufactured at very low cost.

The accompanying drawing and the fol-v lowing description outline the preferred embodiment of the invention, in which drawcleaner made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the wire or rod element of the flue cleaner construction. I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section through the disk of the flue cleaner, the handle member being shown in side elevation, and the parts disposed inoperative position, and

Fig.4 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 3, with the parts in partially collapsed and ineffective position. a

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the'drawing.

'In the construction of the flue c1eaner,a circular disk 1 of sheet metal is used, the diameter of the same being smaller than the freely over the deposits in the flue.

inner diameter of the furnace flue the diator'. 1 This disk, towardone side has a bead '21 pressed therefrom," themetal of; the disk at each'end ofthebead being pressed inthe opp-oslte -d1rect1on' for a short distance,"as"indicated at 3. This-disk isreadily blanked and formed by-meansiof suitable dies on a punch press, as is evident. I

' a handle member used "with the disk,

comprises a "heavy. wire orf wire rodi 40f the required' length, at least somewhat longer than half the length of the radiator flue. At its outer end said wire'is fashioned into a handle 5. The opposite end'portion is designed to be attached to the disk, and at a distance from its end, the wire is bent outwardlyat an obtuseangle to the principal length of the wire, making an angularly disposedisection 6, and is then bent back to make the pintle section 7 disposed at right angles F tothe length of the part 4- so that it can pass under the bead 2 of the disk, After it has been passed under said bead, the terminal portion is bent so as to lie in'aplane substantially .at rightcangles to the plane in which the wire 4 and its sections 7 and 6 lie.

This completes the flue cleaner. Itis evident that'the disk is pivotally mounted on the pintle section 7 and may swing thereon through an angle of ninety degrees. In one position, that shown in' Fig. 3, the disk is at 7 one extreme, at right angles to the length of the wire, being stopped from furthermovement beyond such position by the stop section 8.; The disk may be swung in the opposite dlrectlon until stopped byits engage- I ment with the wire 4 and section 6 thereof, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the flue and Fig. 4 shows an intermediate'position of the disk between its two extreme positions.

The wire rod 4 is of spring material, or at least of a material which tends to return to its original position after being sprung therefrom, so that it will readily follow the angle position with reference to wire 4, the

edge of the disk engaging-with and scraping the deposits from the inner sides of the flue. The disk cannbt turn farther after it has come into engagement with the stop section 8. Accordingly, the deposits in the flue are scrad from theflue and pushed ahead of the islk lintil deliireredfrom the fine throngh the clean-out opening. It is desirable to i have the disk 1 formed dish shape as shown with the'concave side, forward toward the handle. \Vhen it is so formed it will more efiectively carry the flue. deposits ahead of it. i The flue is cleanedinboth directions from the clean-out openinghand with; the flue I tion.

make. The assembly isl easy also. The-flue I cleaner .is 'veryefi'ective in operation The I invention is defined in the claim appended hereto, and is to be considered as comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

1 p A 1: v a

In a flue cleaner a plate'o'f sheet-metal formed at one side of its center With an outwardly pressed bead open at both ends, an elongated wire .handle member; formed at one end with apintle section extending transversely to the length of; the handle", said pintle member extending through said bead for pivotal connection of the plate to the 5 handle,- said pint-1e section terminating in a stop section turned at right-angles thereto, said stop section serving-to retainthepintle within: the bead and to engagethe plate, to limit its pivotal movement in one direction. In testimony-whereof Iafiixmy signature.

THOM IQLifi E -T 

